Safety ventilator for oil tanks



@et E159 E929a F. BERNARD SAFETY VENTILATOR FOR OIL TANKS Filed March 7, 1928 GIJL. y@ .r mw @y 0 mW Q Q vw s T y A L/Uv/ m il Vm\/l vw W [wn QH| Patented Oct. l5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY VENTILATOR FOR OIL TANK Application filed March 7, 1928. Serial No. 259,616.

My invention has for its obj ect'a safety ventilator adapted to lill the opening in an oil tank or the like and is especially adapted to prevent the accumulation ofpressure or vacuum during the filling or emptying of such tanks or during the temperature changes and to prevent fire and the explosionof gases that may collect therein.

In the handling -of hydrocarbon oils and distillates in bulk in closed containersthere is usually a space .unfilled by liquid at the top and at all times during filling o r emptying of such tanks such a space exists within which volatile and explosive vapors collect and any flame or ignition in the vicinity thereof is apt to ignite said vapors through the manholes, hand holes or the like which are invariably provided to secure an equalization of pressure and for introducing measuring sticks, pipes, etc.

It is customary storage receptacles with a hand hole or vent hole at top to allow escape of explosive gases andespecially an equalization of pressure,

and my invention is directed toa closure means for such opening or openings which will admit of the transfer of air from the outside into the receptacle of tlielgases fiom the interior to the exterior of said vessel through my ventilator to maintain the internal pressure eqn/al with the external and therefore prevent undue stresses on the walls of the receptacle; and at the same time to prevent any possible transfer of liame or ignition into the gas, I.vaporor inflammable contents that may be in the'receptacle.

These objects I accomplish by providing a screen-like cage within which I maintain a fluid compartment and a diaphragm of 40 sponge, fibrous material., asbestosor the like, formingvminute intcrstices through which a flame or ignition'will not'be propagated.

This diaphragm is preferably maintained' lwetted from the said water compartment, thus insuring a wetted diaphragm of a considerable area having minute and tortuous pas-I A preferable forni of my invention is shown to provide such tanks or.

I member 5.

' lift the ventilatorout when required.

ing an opening therein through which is introduced my ventilator, an outer cage portion of which is shown by the numeral 3 turned over and flanged at 4 and fitted with a perforated top member 5. Y

At 6 is a fluid compartment into which dips the absorbent material shown at 7 and which latter extends above the fluid contents 8 and is supported by the member 9 so that by capillary attraction the fluid in the compartment 6 maintains the material 7 above the bar 9 saturated with fluid.

The compartment 6 is spaced from the cage 3 and the bar 9 horizontally spaced below the top 5 provides a chamber within which a sponge or similar absorbent material is lilled as shown at 10.

The Huid 8 through the absorbent wick or fibrous material 7 therefore saturates the sponge 10 which is kept wet with the fluid.

A fine screen 11 preferably covers the sponge material 10 below the perforated top A gasket is shown at 12 sealing the space between the ventilator and the top 1 of the tank 2 with a conventional handle at 13 to The top 5 is locked to the flange 4 as by the bayonet lock membersl 14 and buttons 15.

The absorbent material 7 is preferably weighted as with the ring 20 to insure its contact therewith at all times 'as the fluid 8 95 evaporates.

Cage is perforated as at 16, 16, 16 and also at the top as at 17, 17 thus enabling air, gas or vapors which may collect in the space 18 to pass freely through the holes 16 spaced 100 or ignition therethrough.

between the cage 3 and compartment 6 as shown at 19, through the sponge or other diaphragm 10 thence through the screen 11 and opening 17 in the top or cover 5 to the outside of the tank 2 or vice versa and thereby equalize and maintain equalized the pressure between the space 18 and the surrounding air.

During the said passage the vapors are forced through the wetted surfaces of the interstices in the diaphragm member 10 which functions to prevent the passage of any flame It will now be understood that my invention may be embodied in other forms than that shown in the drawing and specification without departing from the spirit of my invention and I wish to be understood as claiming all such.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture a safety ventilator comprising a multiperforated cage, a fluid chamber fixed in suspended position within said cage, a perforated cover for said cage and spaced from said chamber, absorbent material within the cage and between the chamber and the cover and communicating with the interior of said chamber.

2. As an article of manufacture a safety ventilator comprising a multiperforated cage, a fluid chamber fixed in suspended position Within said cage, a perforated cover for said cage and spaced from said chamber, absorbent material within the cage and between the chamber and the cover and communicating with the interior of said chamber, a flange and gasket adapted to support said ventilator within an opening.

3. As an article of manufacture a safety ventilator comprising a multiperforated cage, a fluid chamber fixed in suspended position within said cage, a perforated cover for said cage and spaced from said chamber,absorb ent material Within the cage and between the chamber and the cover., a wick communicating with the interior of said chamber and in caplillary control with said absorbent materia 4. As an article of manufacture a safety ventilator comprising a multiperforated cage, a fluid chamber fixed in suspended position within said cage, a perforated cover for said cage and spaced from said chamber, absorbent material Within the cage and between the chamber and the` cover, a wick communicating with the interior of said chamber land in capillary control'with said absorbent material, a flange and gasket adapted to support said ventilator within an opening.

5. A safety ventilator comprising a pervious cage and a pervious cover for said cage, means for detachably holding said cover assembled with said cage, a chamber fixed within and spaced from said cage and from said cover and having a top opening, absorbent material pervious to vapors forming a dia- 

